When the World Seems Over
by Moe-the-Insomniac
Summary: It's been four years since the mysterious disapperance of Harry Potter, he's considered dead. Four years later, someone shows up at the Burrow one night when Ginny is home alone.
1. Default Chapter

When the World Seems Over  
Summary- It's been four year since the mysterious disappearance of Harry Potter. Everyone thinks he's dead. Four years later, someone shows up at the Burrow.  
Default Chapter  
With another gust of wind, and another chill down her spine, Ginny Weasley pulled a thin bed sheet around her shoulders. She loved her home, the fascination architecture of her house. But when alone, especially at night like it was now, it was a little frightening. Her entire family was at the Quidditch World Cup, she was home alone. She hadn't gone to the exceptionally exciting even in a long time, not even to cheer for her favorite team. To her, there was no point, no desire.  
  
At sixteen-years-old, she had learned to no longer be the shy, quiet girl everyone took her for. The early teenage years took a toll, and she was envied by several girls at school. It was a dream, well, was. It was always a wish for girls to envy her, to want to be her, like she use to be with Hermione Granger. But, there was one thing she didn't have, neither did Hermione. The one thing she would sacrifice anything just to have for one moment, one out of a lifetime. But it wasn't possible, not for her, not for anyone. Because the boy who lived, was no longer living.  
Four years ago, Harry Potter vanished, he's been presumed dead ever since. He was fourteen when it happened. Lord Voldemort rose again, at the end of the Triwizard Tournament. He was after the one person who destroyed him in the first place, Harry. The one-year-old baby boy who stripped him of his powers was panned to be his next victim.  
  
He was.  
  
Harry put up a hard duel, but exhaustion became his disadvantage and he was killed. There's very little details about the event that led to his death, there were no witnesses, no evidence. There was evidence of Voldemort's return, obvious enough, but not Harry. When no body was found, it was assumed that it was destroyed along with his live.  
  
From that day to the present, not a single word about the incident was spoken. Nothing, they all pretended as though Harry never existed, that's probably how they coped with it, not Ginny. The first time she saw him between platforms nine and ten, before she knew of his fame. Before he knew himself. Forgetting Harry Potter was something no Memory Charm could do to her. Not the way she loved him, and the way she still did.  
The large flames from the roaring fire warmed her skin and danced across her body. Even in June, the nights could get cold. It was very damp outside, the rain could be heard on the walls of the Burrow. Ginny walked through the dark kitchen, the sheet dragging behind her like a veil. A small candle centered on the table lit very little. One, was the calendar, more or less marks on the wall created from soot in the fireplace. Two of her brothers, George and Fred, used it to count down the number of days until the first of September, when they were to return to Hogwarts. While they were away, Ginny was to add a line and write the date. She ran her finger along a trail of ash on the mantle in the kitchen fireplace.  
  
June twenty first, June twenty second, June twenty third...  
Her finger stopped after that, when she realized the date. June twenty-fourth. Four years, it was for year to the exact date. The day of the last task in the tournament, the day Voldemort came back, the day...  
  
Her train of thought was interrupted by a thud on the other side of the kitchen door. Between the lace curtain over the window and the night sky, Ginny couldn't see exactly who what it was, but it was something. Pulling aside very little of the curtain, it was a person, who was strictly familiar looking.  
  
Who was this person?  
  
Jet black hair (or how it looked, very tall, and....  
  
" Oh god" Ginny nearly pulled the door of it's hinges. " H- Harry?".  
  
Under such a horrible disguise, there was that chance. The same clothes Harry was last seen in, torn. Dirty, bruises, and blood covered his body from head to toe. But yet, it was him. It really was.  
  
" Oh my god!" she nearly screamed, there was not much she could do. " Harry, is that you?".  
  
" Ginny" he sounded sad, scared, and sick at the same time. He looked so weak and fragile, as much as she wanted to throw her arms around him and never let go, it didn't happen.  
  
Ginny guided him inside, closing the door. She hardly knew what to say to him if thinking he was alive, this was impossible.  
  
Harry couldn't walk, his bones wouldn't cooperate. Her hands trembling, she placed one across his cheek, aghast with the sight before her.  
  
For the past years, everyone was living a lie. It was all a fake. Harry Potter was still alive.  
~ This doesn't have to be the end, but that's up to you~ 


	2. The Boy Who Came Back

When the World Seems Over  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter Two- The Boy Who Came Back  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
She pulled the rag from the sink, ringing out access water, watching each drop roll down the drain in deep concentration. Ginny was stalling and she was the first to admit it. Standing in the kitchen, the living room seemed so distant, like another world. Harry wasn't a ghost, he was never dead. She tried to tell herself that he was only missing for a little while (after the disappearance), one thousand four hundred and sixty days to be exact. The search, the funeral, the mourning, the years of crying to sleep, it was all erased, it shouldn't have happened. The months her brothers, father, and practically half the wizard world spent in hopeful attempts to find him (it eventually became desperate enough that they wanted to find him either alive or dead) there's somewhere they didn't look.  
  
  
  
Where?  
  
  
  
  
  
Ginny walked into the living room, standing behind the couch where Harry was sitting, resting his head in his hands.  
  
" You should be lying down" she said softly.  
  
" I've been laying down for too long" he sounded calm, despite what may have happened to him.  
  
Ginny sat down next to him, guiding him to lean backwards on the back of the couch, placing the bunched up cloth upon the deep gash on his forehead, opposite side of the scar.  
  
When her hand touched the front of his shirt, she saw the blood. " You're really bad".  
  
Trying to raise his arms to remove the clothing, Ginny touched his wrist just barely. Harry winced, that's when she noticed the deep blue marking circling each wrist like a dark bracelet.  
  
" Harry, what happened to you?" there was no point in continuing the guessing game.  
  
" It's a long story" he replied.  
  
She carefully rolled up the sleeves on his cloak, which he had already outgrown, " I think I'm prepared to know. I've been believing that you were dead for a long time now".  
  
" I wanted to be" he leaned forward.  
  
Ginny looked deep into his eyes, they hadn't changed, not a single shade or spark. " Uh- a lot of people were saying that..Voldemort killed you".  
  
" He tried" Harry's voice was stable and strong, " but I think he found it more appealing to torture rather than kill".  
  
" Where were you? We looked everywhere, anywhere you can be".  
  
" The one place no one thought to look, because everyone thought it was over, but you've been there" he glared at her confused face, " I was in the chamber".  
  
Ginny gaped, " the chamber? You mean you were at Hogwarts the entire time?". Harry simple nodded. " I can't believe this!" she yelled, " you were right there, right under our noses, we could have helped you!".  
  
" Ginny, it wasn't possible to help me anymore then it was easy for me to escape".  
  
She couldn't take her eyes off him, not for a second, like a dream, she'd wake up if she blinked. Wake up and find herself alone once again, and Harry dead, instead of sitting right next to her. Ginny leaned forward, holding him so tightly, she didn't care if he did nothing. His body was cold and stiff, she could feel every wound under her skin. Literally, strange as it was, it didn't matter.  
  
It was more painful for him to hold in return, but managed to rest his arms around her. She ran a hand up his back, he drew in a sharp breath. " Sorry" she whispered, " h-how did you get out?".  
  
" What?" he too was whispering.  
  
" How did you get back here? The chamber was sealed years ago".  
  
Harry leaned back, seeing the depths of wonder in her amber eyes. " It's rather complicated, but...".  
  
" Ginny, where are you?" a voice came from the floor above them. The voice was familiar enough, Fred, who must have apperated from the tournament.  
  
Harry jumped up, she pointed to the fireplace, the corner hidden by the dark, He ducked down just as Fred appeared in the staircase.  
  
" Who are you talking to?".  
  
" What are you doing here?" she could stall by answering a question, with a question.  
  
Fred jumped over the banister. " Percy got mad at George and I, threw our galleons a top of the tent where we're sitting. Just came to get my broom". His broomstick, it was next to the fire, so was Harry. " Who were you talking to?" he asked again.  
  
If this had been Ron or Hermione (or Percy now that she thought about it) she would lie until the sun rose to protect Harry, knowing how those three would react if finding out what she knew. But this was Fred, she couldn't lie to him, it didn't seem right. She could trust him, she had too.  
  
" Harry".  
  
Fred stopped solid between Ginny and newest arrival, " Gin, look, I know you must really miss him but...".  
  
" He's here Fred" she said calmly.  
  
" Ginny, come on, by doing this you're only going to make it harder on you. Harry can't hear you".  
  
" Yes he can".  
  
Before Fred could think anymore about his sister being insane, Harry stepped into a clear view. 


	3. Dead and Alive

When the World Seems Over  
  
Authors Note- Sorry for the delay folks, thank you for reviewing. The problem is what it always is- writers block. I have no idea what to do with this story, and if anyone has anything, let me know! Thank you! (full credit will be given). Also, I started writing this before Book 5 came out, so the plot of that book is in no way going to effect the story.   
  
Chapter Three- Dead and Alive  
  
Fred gaped, his head darting back and forth between his little sister and the familar sister. The two stood there, watching him and not even blinking. After a few rounds, he only stared at Harry, deep into his eyes, expecting his twin brother to suddenly change back from a Polyjuice potion or something. But there was nothing but silence, not even the slighest movement. He took tiny steps towards Harry, each one slowly taken with caution, extending his left arm to touch Harry's shoulder. The second there was contact, Fred jumped back several feet.  
  
" He's real" Fred gasped, Harry nodded. " Ginny, I can't believe you. We all go bonkers for years thinking the kid is dead and you have him hiding in your room! I'd like to say I'm shocked, but I'm not! I'm really not!".  
  
Ginny was still in a stunning state of shock, but not from her brother yelling, " it's new to me too".  
  
Fred never broke eye contact with Harry, " you're really back?". Harry nodded again, " I've got to get back to the tournament, tell mum and dada, and-and Ron, and George, and Percy.......wait no, shouldn't tell Percy".   
  
" You can't!".  
  
Both boys glanced at Ginny. " Why in the hell not?" Fred asked.  
  
Tears began to dwell in her chocolate brown eyes as she frantically studied Harry's condition from head to foot. " No, you can't go, not now. I-I mean, look at the guy, can't we wait? I mean, if dad finds out" she was beginning to choke on her words, " the ministry will, and you remember the huge deal because he was apparently dead. Coming back from the dead gets its on series of issues!''.   
  
Fred nodded, " she's right. Everyones caught up in the tournament, why don't the three of us just stay put for the night and we can calmy do something when, when we're calm".   
  
" What about George?" it was the first thing Harry had said in awhile, " doesnt he know you're gone?".  
  
Before an answer was given, a loud crack emerged from the landing above. " What are you physic?" Fred asked just before the other Weasley twin appeared in the staircase.  
  
" I decided since you cant get the brooms yourself, I'd have to do it" George walked towards the fire place where Fred originally wanted to go, " hello Ginny, hi Harry" a few paces later, George stopped dead cold in his tracks. He turned his neck to peak over his shoulder and the tall person standing next to his sister, " did I just say hi to Harry?". The answer was obvious enough, and he continued turning to face them, " bloody hell, I mean, no thats all I got, bloody hell".   
  
Harry inhaled a deep breath and release it slowly, " I guess I have a few things to explain".   
  
" Just a few" Fred commented, " but not tonight" and he did receive two very disgusted and eager glares from his brother and sister. " The guys been to hell and back, why don't we just all go to bed, wait until morning".  
  
" But-".  
  
Fred was quick to interrupt, still shocking the three with his suddenly serious attitude, " whatever happened to him is not going to change in a few hours. I'm sure Harry would appreciate us giving him a break before we drill the living daylights out of him".  
  
Harry weakly nodded.  
  
" Yeah, that sounds fair" Ginny agreed.  
  
George eventually shrugged.  
  
" Harry, Ginny has a spare bed in her room" Fred began, " why don't you sleep there, at least you won't be alone".  
  
" Okay" the word stayed lodged in this throat.   
  
Ginny felt her hands trembling and violently dug her fingernails into her skin to contain herself. It didn't work. Harry followed her to the base of the staircase, slowly walking upstairs. She looked back at Fred before decending into the darkness of the second landing, he mouthed ' careful' and she nodded in pure agreement.  
  
Once in her bedroom, Ginny quietly closed the door behind him. She said his name very quickly, and as fast as he faced her, she had him in her arms- despire the major height difference. It took a minute or two before she could feel his strong arms reach around her and his cold hands on her back. Biting her lip furiously was not enough to hold back the tears, she began crying on his shoulder, which made her feel like a moron in comparison to what he had been through.   
  
" Please Harry, please promise me. Promise me that you'll never leave, that you'll never leave ever again".  
  
In the silence that existed, she concentrated on the similar breaking pattern they shared, Ginny found herself gripping harder and the cloth covering parts of his back. Her body trembled with emotion, his with just the simple fact of being so cold, but her small hands brought small bolts of sudden warmth.  
  
" I promise".  
  
Authors Note- I know its really short, but I had to get it out in the open. Please help me! 


	4. Do You?

When the World Seems Over  
  
Authors Note- Whoa! That's the most reveiws I've had for one chapter, thanks you guys!! Okay, so I'm just going to go with whatever comes, I think I have something in mind, keyword being think. I know I said this wouldn't mention anything about Book 5 in here, but one thing Hermione will say will mention a death, but out of respect for those of you don't know who it is yet, I won't mention a name.   
  
Chapter Four- Do You?  
  
Ginny had lulled herself to sleep the night before by the sound of Harry's breathing in the next bed. Quiet as it was, she concentrated hard just to make sure he was still there until exhaustion got the better of her. She awoke in the light of dawn with a sudden startle that nearly sent her to the floor. With her heart pounding in her ears, she looked in the bed next to her, the empty bed. Millions of thoughts seeped through her head, but the only one that she could detect clearly was- it was all a dream. But strings pulling at the inside of her heart was telling her to go downstairs, where she could alredy hear her brothers' voices.   
  
  
  
She practically threw herself down the staircase, tripping on the final step to the bottom landing and sliding across the floor. Scrambling to her feet, she ran into the kitchen to find three boys sitting at the table, watching her with awe. She gave a quick smile and sat down next to Fred, across from Harry.  
  
" We decided on something" George began, " one by one, we're going to bring everyone home, let them have their own seperate reactions, and when they calm down, move on". Not only did it sound strange having one of her twin brothers sound so serious and actually mean it, but the fact that they treated Harry's return like a science emperiment. Then again, Ginny couldn't think of anything better.  
  
" Percy's last" Fred added.  
  
" No, mum's last" George muttered.  
  
" Percy, otherwise he'd have Harry dragged to the ministry by the time we got mum back here".  
  
Ginny slammed her hand against the wooden tabletop, getting their attention. " What does it matter? My god, can't you guys give Harry a break. Soon as word gets out about this, people will be lining up outside from here to Hogwarts to see him, what difference would Percy or mum make?" she quickly glanced at Harry, " anyways, I don't think we should force him to tell anything. Whatever happened to him is his own bussiness".  
  
The twins glared at each other, Harry just looked downward. " Well, we can't keep eight people out of this house forever, and common sense is obvious that we shouldn't dare take Harry out of here, so we mind as well go with the plan. The tournament ended last night and they'll be ready to leave any second now".   
  
She shrugged, " fine, it's not like you listen to me anyways".  
  
They got up and descended towards the stairs where she had just come from. Harry and Ginny were left alone, in uncomfortable silence after hearing two loud cracks from above them. She tweaked her eyes upwards, gatching him in a gaze. Slowly, and a little clumsly, Ginny got up and stepped towards his seat. He looked up when she stood over him. It was quiet, pure silence.   
  
The words she said next came out in a whisperd, gasped with any nerve she had left since the night before. " Do you still love me?".  
  
He gently took her hand in his, but had the unfortunate problem of not being able to answer her. Three loud cracks echoed once again, and they could right away hear Hermonie's voice. " I don't care about the lawn trolls or whatever you call them, I've seen them before and it's really not that exciting". Harry stood up as she appeared in front of them. Just like that, Hermione stopped dead at her heels, the color drained from her cheerks, making her eyes resemble dark stones.   
  
  
  
She gagged, at least it was the silent movements of her mouth. Several mumbles of what sounded like ' oh', ' my', and ' god' emerged as gasps from her throat and her arms swung around like a mad man. Hermione turned to the twins, " is this your idea of a sick joke? What? Another repeat of that Mad Eye Moody incident, o-or people dying in our fifth year? Yeah, why don't you bring him back too!".   
  
Ginny jumped forward and grabbed Hermione's wrist before she were to hit someone. " Will you put a sock in it!" she yelled herself, " if this was a joke, why would I be going along with it?!".  
  
" Harry's dead" and she said this while staring at the real one.  
  
" Ask him something" Ginny said, releasing her wrist and stepping back to where she was standing before, " something only you and Harry would know, something no one else in this room would know except for the two of you".  
  
Hermione remained silent, staring down at her feet, a signal that she did want to believe the sight before her, but still knew there was something odd about all this happening four years later. " When we got back to Kings Station after our fourth year, what happened when we got off the train?".   
  
The three Weasleys glared from Hermione to Harry. He too waited a moment, staring at Hermione for a moment after she dared to look at him again. " You kissed me".  
  
More silence.  
  
" I didn't know that" Ginny confessed.  
  
" Me either" George agreed.  
  
" Hehe, you kissed him" Fred smirked.  
  
Harry shrugged, " just on the cheek".  
  
Her facial experssion hadn't changed, " it really is you". He merely nodded and her eyes rolled into the back of her head right before she collasped. Fortunatly, Fred caught her before she hit the ground a commotion uprose.  
  
" George, go back and get dad, Harry, help me get her upstairs" Fred ordered.  
  
Geroge ran ahead of them up the staircase, another loud crack. Harry picked up Hermione's legs when Fred had her by the underarms and they slowly proceeded upstairs. When in the middle of the staircase, he caught Ginny in his gaze, and mouthed ' yes'.  
  
Authors Note- Don't worry, Hermione's reaction isn't over 


	5. Then There Was You

When the World Seems Over  
  
Chapter Five- Then There Was You  
  
The boys retreated fown the stairs the same way they had gone up, only now Hermione was not in hand. " Alright" George sighed, " she's in Percy's room, now there's still Bill's room, Charlie's room, Ron's room, and our room in case someone else feels like hitting the floor".  
  
" Nice convidence" Fred commented.  
  
Ginny rolled her eyes, " obviously this is a sign that you shouldn't be doing this".  
  
George pointed to Harrry, " he's our reason".  
  
At that point, she had no desire to argue, therefore forefit. Lord Voldemort himself could have walked in and she sill would have been out cloud nine with what Harry silently told her. Then again, she wasn't going to say that aloud. Ginny ran a hand over her face, " go get Ron" she muttered. The twins nearly toppled over one another racing back upstairs, the two cracks heard after a light, unaudible argument. She didn't want to leave him in silence. " Will Hermione be alright?" but that's not what she had in mind.  
  
" Uh, yeah, she'll come around in a few".  
  
Ginny felt a light curling on the corners of her mouth, her heart madly beating hard enough so she could hear it pounding in her ears. " I love you" she immediatly bit her lip.  
  
Harry looked over at er, smiling. Oh cape of Dumbledore did Ginny horribly nad painfully miss that smile. For once, as she never thought she'd ever see again, it was actually there, not a fading picture in her mind. " I-----".  
  
" Honestly you two, you leave for the entire night, making us all worried sick. Then you come back for Hermione, and return to say she had fainted" Mrs. Weasley's familar voice rang from the floor above. " What on earth, George, let go of me!" it was assumed that she was being dragged away from Percy's room. Ginny gasped.  
  
The plump woman had not physically changed from what Harry could remember of the last time he saw her. Right before the third task of the tournament. In the strugle George and Fred conducted to get their mother downstairs, Harry forced himself against the wall. Therefore, teh only person Mrs. Weasley saw, was her daughter.  
  
She must have seen the sickened expression that had not yet dissappeared from Ginny's face. " Darling, are you alright?". Ginny eyed Harry and nodded. Mrs. Weasley then stiffened her arms, turning to one of her sons, " where's Hermione?".  
  
" Bigheads room" Fred muttered.  
  
Harry stayed pressed against the wall as though thinking he'd eventually go through it. Mrs Weasley brushed to the staircase, stepping out of sight without even a first notice.   
  
" What is wrong with you?!" Ginny hissed at her brothers, " if not Ron, why not dad?".  
  
" We're worried about Hermione, it's for her sake".  
  
She groaned, " at least she didn't--".  
  
" HARRY JAMES POTTER!" the scream nearly tore their ear drums.   
  
" Notice" Ginny slowly finished.  
  
The tall Burrow could have collasped with the quake that shook violently beneath them as Mrs. Weasley truimphed down the staircase. In a split second, she had Harry tightly in her arms. " Oh Harry, my dear Harry" she cried, " I knew you were alive, I knew you were alright" Mrs. Weasley rocked him back and forth, rivers streaming from her eyes, " thank the heavens you're back!".  
  
George noticed Harry's fingertops turning blue and immediatly went to his rescue, pulling at Harry's shirt collar, " come on mum, he's alive meaning he needs oxygen to live".   
  
Mrs. Weasley pushed Harry away from her, briefly wipping tears from her swollen face. She studied him from head to foot, he still looked as he did the night before (except for a silent hint of relief) having been too tired to have done anything about it the night before. " Oh my, look at you! You need a bath and a good meal, get upstairs dear. Fred, get some of your spare robes for Harry, Ginny, why don't you help me cook". She gave Harry a small push towards the stairs and made her way to the kitchen.  
  
" She's acting like he just came over here from holiday" Fred whispered to his sister.  
  
" I think it's just her way of reacting" she whispered back before following Harry back upstairs. 


	6. Normal As Can Be

When the World Seems Over  
  
Authors Note- To think I was going to abandon this story...then I saw the reviews  
  
Chapter Six- Normal As Can Be  
  
Everyone had come home, everyone had seen that Harry was not dead. Ron, like Hermione, nearly passed out, but instead began screaming hysterically upon seeing his best friend. He nearly tackled Harry and practically began crying. Mr. Weasley was stunned, but overwhelmed to see him, just as his wife had done. He promised not to let a word get to the Ministry until Harry chose so, and if he chose to. Percy, on the other hand, completely disagreed with his fathers decision. He claimed that Harry may withhold delicate information about Voldemort and had to speak with the Minister immediately. However, Mr. Weasley strongly expressed that Harry was in no mental or physical position to go anywhere, or recall anything that happened to him.  
  
Despite Percy's frustration or nasty glares towards his father or Harry, that was the end of that.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
With a change of her brothers clothing in arm, Ginny entered her room, just with perfect timing to see Harry removing his shirt.  
  
She dropped the clothing, " oh God, I'm sorry" and automatically turned around.  
  
" It's okay".  
  
Daring as she never was, Ginny faced him again, immediately noticing the deep wound the was slashed from his neckline and across his chest. " Oh God" she gasped, closing the space between them to where she was the same height as the mark. Gently running her finger along it, but stopped when he sharply winced. " Come on, I'll put some aloe on it" she would have used magic, but Arthur said they should not try that on him for awhile.  
  
She led him to sit down on the side of his bed and tore off the edge of a plant on the bedside table, squeezing the tick substance onto her fingers. " It may be a bit cold". Her shy finger spread the clear medication across his wound, he didn't react too much, " I can't believe this happened to you".  
  
" Better me than you".  
  
Ginny glanced up at him, " what do you mean?".  
  
Harry shook his head, " no, don't worry, ah, about it".  
  
She wiped her fingers on the bedspread, staring into his eyes. Straining his back, he bent down and locked his lips with hers. Ginny lightly moaned, bringing her arms around his neck. It felt like the first time they had done that, though it was far from. But ever since her good luck kiss before the third task four-years-ago, it was.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Directly below them, Arthur and Molly sat in the dark and quiet kitchen, sipping their tea at the table.  
  
Arthur eyed the ceiling, " do you really think their trustworthy alone in there?".  
  
Molly nodded, smiling, " I think after what he's been through, he needs someone like Ginny".  
  
Fred wandered into the kitchen in search of an apple, " I think Ginny needs someone like Harry even more".  
  
He was immediately swatted at, " leave them alone, and that goes for all of you. We all know how they were before his disappearance, and what they do know is their business, not ours...or your extendable ears Fredrick Weasley".  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Late into the night, Harry and Ginny pushed their beds together, holding one another's hand.  
  
" What's going to happen to us now?" she asked, staring at him through the blue moonlight.  
  
" I don't know, but I can assure you, I'll never leave you again".  
  
Sleep was beginning to overcome her, and the last words before drifting off were, " don't make promises".  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Three weeks later in the Daily Prophet  
  
The Boy Lives Once Again  
  
By- Ronald Folgers  
  
Four years ago, on June 24th, 1994, hundreds of  
spectators, before the rest of the Wizarding World,  
were stunned as they what was soon to be the apparent  
death of the Boy Who Lived.  
  
Harry James Potter is famously known for ridding He  
Who Should Not Be Named of his powers sixteen years  
ago after the death of his parents Lily and James  
Potter. Only receiving a scar on his forehead and the  
title ' The Boy Who Lived' at only a year old.  
  
However, after attending Hogwarts School of  
Witchcraft and Wizardry for four years, he was  
mysteriously entered in the Triwizard Tournament,  
being the youngest member even thought it was against  
the rules (names picked from the Goblet of Fire are  
valid no matter what, despite Potter claiming he had  
nothing to do with it. Though it was later discovered  
that a fugitive in disguise of former Hogwarts  
Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor Moody).  
  
The third and final task of the tournament  
consisted of a magical maze on the Hogwarts Quidditch  
field. Many obstacles were involved, but there is no  
detail about them. Two foreign contestants, Viktor  
Krum and Fleur Delacar, were disqualified not long  
after the task began. It was Potter and fellow  
Hogwarts student the late Cedric Diggory, who  
disappeared once touching the trophy.  
  
It was later discovered, on the brink of the  
Dark Lord's reappearance, the officials from the  
Ministry of Magic and Hogwarts Headmaster Albus  
Dumbledore that the trophy was indeed hoaxed.  
  
" The trophy was actually a portkey"  
Dumbledore said, only days after the incident, " it's  
transported both Harry and Cedric to a hidden  
graveyard".  
  
What happened next, other than the panic of  
spectators, is still unknown to this day. Statistics  
show that Diggory was immediately killed, and Harry  
was after a series of torture. It was then known that  
the Dark Lord had set up the portkey, and only meant  
to capture Potter, which is why Cedric died first.  
  
Arthur Weasley, a member of the Ministry and a  
close acquaintance to Potter, started a search party  
instantly for the two boys. Members included Arthur's  
sons, other Ministry workers, his daughter Virginia,  
and Harry's friends Hermione Granger and Draco  
Malfoy. After the five month search, only Cedric's  
body was found, but no sigh of Harry.  
  
It was assumed that Harry Potter had been  
killed and his body was destroyed. For years, many  
mourned and proper services were given.  
  
Sixteen-year-old Virginia Weasley was alone in  
her alone in her home no more than a month ago when  
someone had appeared at her door. Harry Potter, the  
Boy Who Lived, had lived once again.  
  
Now seventeen, Potter is in weak mental and  
physical conditions, but will recover with the aid of  
Arthur's wife, Molly. Little information has been  
released about his experience over the past four  
years. It is, however, now that Potter was hidden in  
the Chamber of Secrets located in Hogwarts, but had  
been sealed over five-years-ago after Harry himself  
helped solve the mysterious attacks that took place.  
He Who Should Not be Named was present as well,  
holding his prisoner, but has currently fled  
elsewhere, allowing Potter to manage an escape.  
  
" No one is ever going to force Harry to  
talk about what happened to him" Arthur Weasley says,  
" we're just all happy that he is fine, and he is  
going to live a normal life. After all, he deserves  
it". 


	7. Ginny's Pendant

When the World Seems Over  
  
Authors Note- Sorry it's been so long. Just a warning, I have to write a play for my schools drama club and its due by a certain time. I'm still going to keep the story going, but it may be a bit longer because I have to concentrate more on that. I managed to write this while in my chemistry class.  
  
Chapter Seven- Ginny's Pendant  
  
" It's not the same when they're not trying till each other" Ron was leaning over the chess board in the living room.  
  
Harry grinned, " they attacked you last time".  
  
Ron looked up and smiled, " you remember?" it had been over four years since their last game.  
  
" Yeah" he said, " I don't have amnesia Ron".  
  
He glanced in the other direction, " I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything by it" he had felt very awkward lately, even if Harry was his best friend. The mystery of the past four years was beginning to take a toll on everyone.  
  
From the kitchen came three loud cracks, one right after the other. Ginny stormed into the room, glared at them with her bloodshot eyes, then raced to the staircase and up to the first landing.  
  
Hermione and Molly walked in after. " What was that all about?" Ron asked.  
  
" We ran into Malfoy in Diagon Ally" Hermione said, " he started giving her a hard time about-certain things".  
  
Molly eyed Harry, " why don't you go and talk to her dear?".  
  
Harry took the hint that those ' certain things' had to do with him and nodded, abandoning the game, heading towards the staircase.  
  
" Ginny?" he softly knocked on their bedroom door, " Ginny, can I come in?". When there was no response, he went in anyways. She laid on his bed, her back to him as she faced the window, " what happened?" he sat next to her.  
  
She closed her damp eyes, " that damn oath thinks he knows everything" she paused, " he kept saying you were a Death Eater the whole time".  
  
" He's not one to talk".  
  
Ginny sat up, placing her hands around his face, " tell me everything, everything that started with the third task. Please, I'm begging you".  
  
He gazed into her pleading eyes, " I don't want to scare you".  
  
" I went four horribly long years thinking you were dead and gone forever. Nothing you can say will possibly scare me like that".  
  
Harry let out a long sigh, laying down next to her, " alright, I'll tell you" she scooted closer to him. " Cedric and I had decided that we'd both grab the trophy, but it was a portkey, obviously. We ended up in a graveyard, where Riddle's dad was buried. He killed Cedric in the beat of a heart".  
  
" Voldemort" Ginny gasped.  
  
" He knocked me out, and I woke up in the chamber, right where I had found you before. It was odd, without knowing what happened, I had a good idea that he had risen again. Voldemort put a strange spell on me, if I were to die, my body would vanish because that's what he wanted. I wanted to die, right after I was convinced I'd never see you again" he paused for a moment, " he wanted information from me, even if they were things I knew, I wouldn't say anything. He's spent his time with lost plans. Now that he had risen again, and my nightmares consisted of my parents dying again, or you".  
  
Ginny reexamined the dark rings that were still around his wrists. They must have been bound tightly, the whole time. That was her conclusion. " How did you get away?" she managed to calmly ask.  
  
" In May" he swallowed, " he left me, same plan for Azkaban that probably worked out. He figured I was too weak to do anything, and I agreed. But that's when I remembered I still had this" from under his shirt, he pulled out a small chain that had been around his neck, with a gold pendant that had a ruby stone in the center. It was his birthstone, and she had given it to him the night before the third task. Ginny gazed at it as he went on. " It was the only thing that gave me enough will power to try and get it out of there, if I were to die trying, I was going to die one way or another. I used the levitation charm once I got below the entrance, figures he'd have enough faith to leave me my wand. I should apologize to Dumbledore for the hole in the girls lavatory floor".  
  
She shot upwards, " May? That was a month before you came here!".  
  
Harry tangled a lock of her hair between his fingers, " the last thing I wanted was for Voldemort to follow me here".  
  
" He knows you're here".  
  
" He thinks I'm dead".  
  
Ginny wasn't going to give in to those green eyes that easily, " but he's so powerful, he could find you with his eyes closed if he wanted to".  
  
He sat up and kneeled onto the floor, " Virginia Weasley, I promise you with everything in the world that I will never let anything harm you, for the rest of my life, for the rest of your life, forever".  
  
Tears slowly dwelled in her eyes as a smile crept across her lips, " never say forever". 


	8. Fletcher in the Night

When the Word Seems Over  
  
Authors Note- I know that Hermione kissed Harry at the end of their fourth year, but, since in this story he wasn't there, it was the end of their third year instead.  
  
Chapter Eight- Fletcher in the Night  
  
A sudden and yet mysterious startle is what awoke Harry late into the night. He found himself sitting in a dark room, pitch black, there was no moonlight. Ginny's arm had slid from his shoulders to his waist, which was the only reminder that he was in the Burrow.  
  
After carefully slipping out of her hold, he quietly snuck out of the room and headed towards the staircase at the end of the landing. Had Harry known that Hermione was sitting at the kitchen table, he would have put on a shirt.  
  
" What are you doing up?" he grumbled, eyes half open.  
  
She rested her mug on the table top, " I'm always up at this hour, thinking".  
  
Harry sat down across from her, " that's not much of a surprise".  
  
With a simple wave of her wand, a mug with steaming liquid appeared in front of him. He gave a smile of appreciation and took a sip. " If only you saw the look on Ginny's face when Arthur said you were dead".  
  
" If only I saw the look on Malfoy's".  
  
" Oh, he had tears in his eyes, and like the white ferret incident he's not going to live it down" the announcement stunned him, " but of course, you being alive and well brought back old ways" as it did for all of them. " But Ginny's expression was unbearable. It took her three days just to cry, and three years to accept your death, somewhat. But, she was the only one who had hope that you were still out there".  
  
" Literally" he took another sip.  
  
Hermione softly smiled, " about a month after the incident, she tried to convince herself that she was going to have a baby".  
  
At that precise word, Harry began to choke for a moment that made her giggle, " that's defiantly not possible".  
  
" Oh come on, she's a quiet girl, but some secrets she just can't keep, especially when someone like me is pestering her".  
  
He coughed a few more times as his bright eyes grew very wide, " there's something to make one an insomniac".  
  
" She only wanted part of you to be alive" she then laughed, " now that she's got the whole thing, you two can get married".  
  
" Aha, shut up".  
  
She smirked, " but you never saw her in second year, our second year, it's like you were blind to her obvious signs".  
  
" I'm not a girl, I don't know what they are" he rested the mug, " kiss however, now that's obvious".  
  
" I was thirteen!" she hissed, " and I was just relieved that no escaped lunatic had killed you".  
  
" I didn't say anything" he looked away,  
  
Suddenly, both their sets of eyes were locked on the door after a loud thud erupted from the other side.  
  
" What was that?" Hermione gasped.  
  
" Damn you lawn troll things!" the muffled, raspy voice snapped.  
  
Harry stood up, " what does that sound so familiar?".  
  
In the blink of an eye, a figure had burst through the doorway and bolted across the floor. Hermione screamed as the intruder tackled Harry off balance, and did not stop until Molly and Arthur came running from the staircase.  
  
" Fletcher get off him!" Molly violently tugged at the figures torn clothing.  
  
Arthur magically lit the kitchen, and Mundungus Fletcher rolled off Harry. The twins, Ron, and Ginny watched wide-eyed between the landings.  
  
Hermione was gasping from screaming, Harry panting from his attack. Yet, both went unnoticed in the astonishment of the newest arrival.  
  
" What in the name of Albus Dumbledore do you think you're doing?" Molly wailed, her husband attempting to calm her, " you scared the wits out of them! The boy can't be spooked you bloody moron!".  
  
" Oiy! Maybe yous didn't notice the dead 'ero in your 'ouse!".  
  
" How did you find out?" Hermione asked.  
  
He slightly stumbled backwards, " a little thing called the Daily Prophet love" he attempted to properly clear his that have told Snuffles that he was alive, ran into my room, beating me the rolled up paper, screaming and dancing like that damn house elf'.  
  
Arthur arched an eyebrow, " Snuffles? How much have you been drinking?".  
  
" It was, well, is, our code name for Sirius, when Harry would write to him or we would talk about him" Ron piped, strolling towards them from the staircase.  
  
" And only a little bit" Fletcher said.  
  
George stuck his heard through the wooden bars of the railing, " how could you not tell Sirius dad? That's Harry's godfather".  
  
" In the excitement of Harry's return, I didn't need an accidental blab to anyone that the Azkaban escapee was within recapture. He'd appreciate that".  
  
Ginny got up, stepping past Fred who was pulling at George's hair, trying to release his head from the bars. " Shouldn't Harry get to see Snuffles, I mean Sirius, now?".  
  
" I'm afraid its too risky dear" Molly said as her daughter stood next to Harry, " everyone will be watching every move Harry makes, we can't take him to the house yet".  
  
Ron's face suddenly perked, " does Dumbledore know he's back?".  
  
" Duh" George commented through his struggles to get free. Fletcher removed his wand, muttered under his breath, and the twins went tumbling.  
  
" Can't Sirius come here?" Ginny asked.  
  
Arthur shook his head, " not since he was spotted as the dog has he left that house".  
  
" But he can be any animal he wants!" she cried with everyone watching her, " what if he became- a mouse or what not, and Fletcher just put him in his pocket and came over here?".  
  
No one responded right away, but instead exchanged glances among each other, the ones only adults can perfectly read. " Not a problem, I'll bring him by tomorrow" Fletcher beamed.  
  
" Uh, perhaps we should come along, just in case" Arthur said, kindly not wanting to admit that he had no trust, but received a grateful grin from his daughter, " you can spend the rest of the night here and we'll leave in the morning".  
  
Fletcher swatted his arm at them, " whatever makes you happy Weasley".  
  
" I'll get a blanket for the cough" Molly stepped past the crowd.  
  
" Kids, why don't you all go back to bed, it's late, and looks like we're going to have a busy day tomorrow".  
  
Harry followed Hermione, Ron, and Ginny to the twins on the staircase. They walked up to the first landing and went their separate ways.  
  
" I didn't mean to make such a deal" Ginny said once they were secluded in her room, " I just thought you'd really want to see him".  
  
" Oh I do, in all the excitement I can't believe I forgot him".  
  
She smiled briefly, " what were you and Hermione talking about before he showed up?".  
  
He shrugged, " just random things I suppose" he didn't want to mention the third year kiss or the imaginary pregnancy. All he could concentrate on was seeing Sirius in person later that morning.  
  
But if only he knew that before that chance was to come, Harry was going to face another downfall of being The Boy Who Lived. 


End file.
